Jeremiah Lanphier

By Tom Shanklin

Speculation, gambling, greed, spectacular wealth, and prosperity for an elite few were widening the gap between the “haves” and the “have nots.”

A nation hungry for the supernatural turned to spiritualism which gained a popular foothold over many minds.

A playboy philosophy of “free love” was advocated and accepted by many.

Commercial and political corruption, bribes, graft, and illegal business practices were ripe in the the nation.

Atheism, agnosticism, apathy and indifference to God, to the church, and its message abounded on every hand. The decline was fourfold: social, moral, political and spiritual.

Then judgment came. Both secular and religious conditions combined to bring about a terrible economic and social crash. Thousands of merchants were forced to the wall as banks failed and went into bankruptcy. Factories shut down. Vast numbers were thrown out of employment.

Do these conditions sound strangely familiar? Are you thinking we’re talking about America, 2008? No, in fact these conditions were reported in a book called “Revival, Principles to Change the World,” by Winkie Pratney, concerning conditions in America in 1857.

What happened as a result of these tragic conditions? And how did America survive such a terrible collapse?

In a word, “Revival!”

Some of the key players in this move of God were an on-fire Canadian physician and his wife and a businessman-turned-street-preacher from New York City.

Walter and Phoebe Palmer of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada began preaching a message of personal and social holiness, calling people to repent of the their present sins and turn back to God. They spread the message of benevolent responsibility through practical Christianity. An extraordinary revival ensued.

Then Jeremiah Lanphier, an upper New York businessman who had been converted in 1842 and gave up his business to become a city street missionary, saw the terrible needs in the city around him. With social and economic collapse staring him in the face, Lanphier walked the streets passing out flyers for a noonday prayer meeting to be held at the Dutch Church in downtown New York. He waited until 12:30 p.m. and finally six men came to the meeting. The next week, there were 20. Within six months, over 10,000 businessmen were meeting every day in similar meetings, confessing sin, getting saved, and praying for revival.

America began to live again. In just two years, over a million converts were added to the churches of all denominations. The revival spread across the sea and eventually another million people were added to the churches of Great Britain.

Revival is not, first of all, a movement of masses of people. It’s about one individual, getting right with God and doing all he or she can do to see change come to humanity.

America will soon be disillusioned with her new political romance.

There is only one answer. It is not a politician. It’s the power of God working in people who will repent and turn their lives back to him. We need, once again,  fervent prayer and practical holiness to heal our land.

Don’t give up! God can do it again. It is always darkest before the dawn. America is ready for true “change.” America is ripe for revival!